📖 Overview
A Guide to Writing Kanji & Kana Book 2 serves as a comprehensive writing manual for students of Japanese at an intermediate level. The text provides instruction on 1,000 kanji characters, building upon the foundation established in Book 1 of the series.
The guide presents each character with clear stroke order diagrams, sample vocabulary, and practice grids for writing exercises. Systematic organization allows learners to progress through increasingly complex characters while reinforcing earlier concepts and patterns.
The book includes cultural and etymological notes that connect characters to their historical origins and modern usage in Japanese society. Practice exercises throughout reinforce proper writing technique and character memorization.
This reference work exemplifies the connection between written language and cultural understanding, demonstrating how mastery of kanji opens doors to deeper engagement with Japanese literature and daily life.
👀 Reviews
Most readers find this to be a practical kanji reference that builds on Book 1 with an additional 1,000+ characters. Reviews describe the stroke order diagrams as clear and the radical organization system as logical.
Likes:
- Detailed stroke order explanations
- Clear organization by radicals
- Historical development of characters
- Practice exercises reinforce learning
- Professional layout and print quality
Dislikes:
- Paper quality is thin compared to Book 1
- Some find radical system too complex for beginners
- Price increased significantly in recent years
- Practice sections could be more extensive
- No digital/online companion resources
Ratings:
Amazon: 4.5/5 (86 reviews)
Goodreads: 4.2/5 (34 ratings)
One reviewer noted: "The radical index makes finding characters much faster than dictionary lookup." Another mentioned: "Would benefit from more example sentences and compound words."
Most recommend using alongside other kanji learning resources rather than as a standalone text.
📚 Similar books
Basic Kanji Book Vol. 2 by Chieko Kano and Yuri Shimizu
This textbook presents 250 essential kanji characters through systematic, stroke-by-stroke instruction with practice exercises and compound vocabulary.
Remembering the Kanji 1 by James W. Heisig The book introduces a method for learning 2,200 kanji through memorable stories and decomposition of characters into constituent parts.
Japanese Kanji & Kana Workbook by Wolfgang Hadamitzky and Mark Spahn This companion workbook provides writing practice for 2,136 kanji characters with stroke order diagrams and compound examples.
Kanji in Context by Koichi Nishiguchi, Tamako Kono The text presents 2,000 kanji characters in real-world context through example sentences and passages organized by topic and difficulty.
The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji by Christopher Seely and Kenneth Henshall This reference book examines the historical development, meanings, and modern usage of 2,136 jōyō kanji characters with etymological explanations.
Remembering the Kanji 1 by James W. Heisig The book introduces a method for learning 2,200 kanji through memorable stories and decomposition of characters into constituent parts.
Japanese Kanji & Kana Workbook by Wolfgang Hadamitzky and Mark Spahn This companion workbook provides writing practice for 2,136 kanji characters with stroke order diagrams and compound examples.
Kanji in Context by Koichi Nishiguchi, Tamako Kono The text presents 2,000 kanji characters in real-world context through example sentences and passages organized by topic and difficulty.
The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji by Christopher Seely and Kenneth Henshall This reference book examines the historical development, meanings, and modern usage of 2,136 jōyō kanji characters with etymological explanations.
🤔 Interesting facts
🌟 The book teaches Jōyō kanji - the 2,136 characters designated by the Japanese Ministry of Education as essential for everyday use
📚 Author Wolfgang Hadamitzky is a renowned German Japanologist who has written over 15 books on Japanese language and writing systems
✍️ The guide uses a systematic approach based on the six basic strokes used in Japanese writing, making it easier for Western learners to master kanji
🎌 Book 2 of the series covers the more complex characters and builds upon Book 1, which focuses on basic kanji and the kana writing systems
📖 The guide includes detailed stroke order diagrams and compound examples, showing how each kanji is used in real Japanese vocabulary